Where has the time gone

I can't believe this month is over. It went by way to fast.  Started off great with lunch with 2 good friends, CB and Sara.  And ended it the same way.  We girls met at Z Pizza, organic style, this afternoon for lunch.  It is so great to get together with these girls.  I always leave with a smile on my face and in my heart.  Not only are they great friends who are there for me in so many ways, but they are also insightful.  Health, fashion and nutrition.  I always come away with something new.  Love these gals!

Easter was such an event it will need it's own post.

The end of this month means that the Kindergarten year is almost over.  I can't believe she is almost a 1st grader!  As Grumpy says - No More Growing!  She has had a fantastic year.  Her grades are awesome and she is reading really really well.  We are so proud of her.  She also met some good friends this year.

Our group of friends had our annual Home Brew & Chili cookoff.  It is a good size event with at least 50 people in attendance.  Todd brewed beer and made chili.  Unfortunately he had technical difficulties with his keg beer and everyone didn't get the chance to try his 2 beers.  His Orange beer was fantastic and most likely would have placed this year if it hadn't run out.  Bummer!

We had a close friend's 6th birthday party last Sunday.  It was at a park with laser tag and gaming.  It was a lot of fun for all.  The weather was fantastic!  (This is a great time of year in Phoenix.)  It was great to celebrate with them and Teya enjoyed playing with friends - old and new- at the park.

After the party we came home and enjoyed the outdoors. Teya tried to go swimming. The pool is still a bit cold, but she got in.

"I'm freezing!"

Okay, now I'm ready

I'm in!

Now I'm out - time to warm up

Not by laying in the sun, but bundled up - she went in to the hot tub after that. She is to darn cute!

The highlight of the month for Teya was that she got a 5 gallon tank with 4 fish. Meet Bella, Daisy, Pinky and Bo.  The yellow one is Bella.  Of course the tank is pink and princess.  The fish love the castle and it is fun to watch them swim in and through it.  Teya really loves it when they play in the castle.

She's way excited!

Lunch with great friends and good food

Teya and I had lunch with CB and Sara on Friday at Whole Foods.  We went to the one on Scottsdale Road just South of the 101.  They have a mini cafeteria inside and wow is the food good.  I was excited to see all of the vegetarian and vegan dishes they had.  CB and I I tried a couple of tofu dishes that were great, Sara enjoyed the pizza and sushi and Teya also enjoyed a slice of pizza. We then had a scoop of Sorbet.  It was great to catch up with girls and have a yummy healthy lunch.

With my lunch I had a Quinoa and Black Bean salad.  It was so good I had to try to make it.  I made it for dinner tonight and it was awesome, so I thought I would share the recipe.

For those of you who are not familiar with Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wa” ), it is a gluten-free and cholesterol-free whole grain that is packed with fiber and protein. One cup of cooked quinoa provides 9 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein.  Quinoa can be used in place of rice or any other whole grain.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (I used 4 as I love garlic)
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (I started with 1 1/2 and added another 1/4 cup after about 10 minutes as mine was soaking it up and I like a softer grain)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

I added:
1/2 cup zucchini chopped
1/2 cup red pepper chopped
1/2 to 3/4 can of diced tomatos with green chilis - 10oz can

Directions

1.Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned. (If using my additional items add zucchini and red pepper)

2. (Again if using my extras - add tomatos & chilis with liquid).  Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,

3.Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

I had mine serving over a bed of spinach.  It was delish!

Hope you like it!